Phil. Without a Bribe command my utmost in it And yet, there is a thing, which Time may give me The Confidence to name.

Lyf. 'Tis yours whatever :

But tell me true, does the not entertain

Some deep and fettled Thoughts against my Perfon?
Phil. I hope not fo; but the of late is froward;
Referv'd, and fad, and vex'd at little things;
Which her great Soul afham'd of, ftrait shakes off,
And is compos'd again.

Lyf. You are ftill near the Queen; and all our Actions come to Princes Eyes, as they are reprefented by them that hold the Mirror.

Phil. Here he comes, and with her the Deputies-
I fear all is not right.

Enter Queen, Deputies after her; Afteria, Guard, Flavia,
Olinda and Sabina.

and fpeaks entring.

Queen turns back to the Deputies,

Queen. And I must tell you,

It is a fawcy Boldness, thus to prefs

On my Retirements

1 Dep. Our Bufinefs being of no lefs Concern Than is the Peace and Quiet of your Subjects And that delay'd

2 Dep. -We humbly took this time

To represent your People's Fears to you.

Queen. My People's Fears! who made them States-men? They much mistake their Business, if they think

It is to govern :

The Rights of Subjects, and of Soveraigns

Are things diftinct in Nature: Theirs, is to

Enjoy Propriety, not Empire.

Lyf. If they have err'd, 'twas but an Over-care; An ill-tim'd Duty

Queen. Coufin, I expect

From your near Blood, not to excufe, but check 'em. They would impofe a Ruler upon their lawful Queen: For what's an Husband elfe?

Lyf. Far, Madam, be it from the Thoughts Of any, who pretends to that high Honour,

To

To wish for more than to be reckoned

As the most grac'd, and first of all your Servants.
Queen. Thefe are the infinuating Promifes
Of those who aim at Pow'r : But tell me, Coufin;
(For you are unconcern'd, and may be Judge)
Should that afpiring Man compass his Ends,
What Pawn of his Obedience could he give me,
When Kingly Pow'r were once invested in him?
Lyf. What greater Pledge than Love? when thofe fair Eyes
Caft their commanding Beams, he that could be
A Rebel to your Birth, muft pay them Homage.
Queen. All Eyes are fair,

That sparkle with the Jewels of a Crown:
But now I fee my Government is odious;
My People find I am not fit to reign,
Elfe they would never-

Lyf. So far from that, we all acknowledge you
The Bounty of the Gods to Sicily:

More than they are, you cannot make our Joys;
Make them but lafting in a Succeffor.

Phil. Your People feek not to impose a Prince;
But humbly offer one to your free Choice;
And fuch a one he is, (may I have leave
To fpeak fome little of his great Deferts.)
Queen. I'll hear no more-

For you, attend to morrow at the Council, [To the Dep.
There you fhall have my firm Refolves; mean time
My Coufin I am fure will welcome you.

Lyf. Still more and more myfterious: But I have gain'd one of her Women that fhall unriddle it: Gentlemen

All Dep. Heav'n preferve your Majesty!

Come,

[Exeunt Lyfimantes and Deputies.

Queen. Philocles, you may ftay.

Phil. I humbly wait your Majefty's Commands.

Queen. Yet now I better think on't you may go.

Phil. Madam!

Queen. I have no Commands

You, no Obedience.

Phil. How! no Obedience, Madam?

-or, what's all one,

I plead no other Merit; 'tis the Charter

By which I hold your Favour, and my Fortunes.
Queen. My Favours are cheap Bleffings, like Rain and
Sun-fhine,

For which we scarcely thank the Gods, because
We daily have them.

Phil. Madam, your Breath, which rais'd me from the Dust, May lay me there again :

But Fate nor Time can ever make me lofe

The Senfe of your indulgent Bounties to me.

Queen. You are above them now, grown popular : Ah Philocles! could I expect from you

That Ufage? no Tongue but

To move me to a Marriage?.

yours

The factious Deputies might have some End in't,
And my ambitious Coufin gain a Crown;
But what Advantage could there come to you?
What could you hope from Lyfimantes' Reign,
That you can want in mine?

[Weeps.

Phil. You your felf clear me, Madam. Had I fought More Pow'r, this Marriage fure was not the way. But, when your Safety was in queftion,

When all your People were unfatisfied,

Defir'd a King, nay more, defign'd the Man,
It was my Duty then-

Queen. Let me be Judge of my own Safety;
I am a Woman.

But Danger from my Subjects cannot fright me.
Phil. But Lyfimantes, Madam, is a Perfon-
Queen. I cannot love-

Shall 1, I who was born a Sovereign Queen,
Be barr'd of that which God and Nature gives
The meanest Slave, a Freedom in my Love?

Leave me, good Philocles, to my own Thoughts;
When next I need your Counsel, I'll fend for you--
Phil. I'm moft Unhappy in your high Displeasure;
But, fince I must not fpeak, Madam, be pleas'd
To perufe this, and therein read my Care.

[He plucks out a Paper, and prefents it to her; but drops, unknown to him, a Picture. Exit Philocles.

Queen.

Queen reads. A Catalogue of fuch Perfons
What's this he has let fall? Afteria: [Spies the Box.
Aft. Your Majefty

Queen. Take that up, it fell from Philocles.

[She takes it up looks on it, and smiles.
Queen How now, what makes you mery?
Aft. fmall Difcovery I have made, Miadam.
Queen. Of what?

Aft. Since firft your Majefty grac'd Philocles,
I have not heard him nam'd for any Mistress,
But now this Picture has convinc'd me.
Queen Ha! let me fee it.-
Candiope, Prince Lyfimantes' Sifter!

[Snatches it from her.

Aft. Your Favour, Madam, may encourage him-
And yet he loves in a high Place for him:

A Princefs of the Blood, and what is more,
Beyond Comparison the fairest Lady

Our Ifle can boast.

Queen. How! The the fairest

Beyond Comparifon! 'Tis faife, you flatter her;
She is not fair.-

Aft. I humbly beg Forgiveness on my Knees,
If I offended you: But next yours, Madam,

Which all muft yield to

Queen. I pretend to none.

At. She paffes for a Beauty.

Queen. Ay, the may pafsBut why do I fpeak of her?

Dear Afteria lead me, I am not well o' th' fudden

[She faints.

[The Guards are coming.

Aft. Who's near there? help the Queen.

Queen. Bid 'em away, 'twas but a Qualm,

And tis already going

Aft. Dear Madam, what's the matter!

You're of late fo alter'd, I fcarce know you.

You were gay humour'd, and you now are penfive,

Once calm, and now unquiet;

Pardon my Boldness, that I prefs thus far

Into your fecret Thoughts: I have, at least,
A Subject's Share in you.

VOL. II.

Queen

Queen. Thou haft a greater,

That of a Friend; but am I froward, fay'st thou?
Aft. It ill becomes me, Madam, to say that.
Queen, I know I am: Pr'ythee forgive me for it.
I cannot help it; but thou haft

Not long to fuffer it.

Aft. Alas!

Queen. I feel my Strength each Day and Hour confume Like Lillies wafting in a Lymbeck's Heat.

Yet a few Days

And thou fhalt fee me lye all damp and cold,
Shrowded within fome hollow Vault, among
My filent Ancestors.

Aft. O dearest Madam!

Speak not of Death, or think not, if you die,
That I will stay behind.

Queen. Thy Love has mov'd me, I for once will have The Pleasure to be pitied; I'll unfold

A thing fo ftrange, fo horrid of my self

Aft. Blefs me, fweet Heav'n!

So horrid, faid you, Madam?

Queen. That Sun, who with one Look fürveys the Globe Sees not a Wretch like me: And could the World

Take a right Measure of my State within,

Mankind muft either pity me, or scorn me.
Aft. Sure none could do the laft.

Queen. Thou long'ft to know't,

And I to tell thee, but Shame ftops my Mouth.
Firft promife me chou wilt excufe my Folly,
And next be fecret

Aft

Can you doubt it, Madam! Queen. Yet you might spare my Labour; Can you not guefs-

Aft. Madam, pleafe you, I'll try.

Queen. Hold, Afteria:

I would not have you guess, for should you

I should imagine that fome other might,

And then I were most wretched,

find it,

Therefore, though you fhould know it, flatter me :
And fay you could not guess it-tie